Moonlit Endearments
by Dresupi
Summary: Lily convinces James and his friends to go on a 'snipe hunt', engagement shenanigans ensue. Bg Remus/Sirius. One Shot. Marauders Era. Jily. Probably not canon compliant.


**Hello!**

 **I wrote this as part of my 1980s song prompt series on tumblr. This was prompted to me by inflagrante-delicatessen on tumblr.**

 **The song is 'Thriller' by Michael Jackson (1982).**

 **Okay, so…this prompt…there is a werewolf, there is a couple out alone in the woods, and there is some howling going on. *wink* I hope you like what I did with this one. *hearts***

 **Also, there is an Anne of Green Gables reference in here. James' old nickname for Lily is Carrots. Gilbert and Anne remind me so much of James and Lily, so I really couldn't resist a little shout out. *wink***

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James reached over to clasp her hand in his. "Lily?"

"Hmm?" She turned her head to look at him, green eyes glittering in the starlight.

"You still want to get married?"

She exhaled loudly. "I dunno, when you asked me ten minutes ago, it sounded like a good idea, but now I think it sounds rather boring…" She arched her eyebrow facetiously.

He rolled his eyes and tightened his hold on her hand, his fingers dragging over the diamond ring he'd given her. "I just...I have some things I need to tell you...about me. And about others. I don't think we should have secrets, Evans."

"You have secrets?" She rolled over on her side to face him. "So mysterious. James, do tell."

"Well, I just... I think you should know that...now...bear in mind that you still have full freedom in this matter...if you don't like or care for anything I tell you, you can back out. Now, or in the future...I don't want to lose you, Lily. But I don't want to lie to you either."

The mirth fell from her face and she propped herself up on her arm. "What is it?"

"I'm…" He licked his lips. "I'm an unregistered Animagus."

He watched her face, waiting for the outburst. The outrage. What he wasn't expecting was the relief. The relief she was careful to hide quickly. "Oh?" she asked off-handedly. "Are you?!" The surprise in her voice sounded forced.

Because she already knew. Of course she did. His clever witch knew everything about him.

"You already knew," he stated with a sigh, rolling over onto his back and covering his eyes as the panic that had filled him began to dissipate. "Wait…" He dropped his hands. "How did you know?"

"You, Sirius and Peter held Mandrake leaves under your tongues for a month," she said with a shrug. "Didn't really take a genius to figure that one out…"

"Were we really that obvious?"

"To someone who was paying attention, yes." She said with a smug grin.

A smug grin James mirrored. "You were paying attention to me, were you? Even then?"

"Even then," she admitted. "Wanted to get you expelled for making fun of me."

"I didn't make fun of you!" he protested.

"You called me 'Carrots'."

"That's a term of endearment!"

She snorted. You weren't capable of having endearments."

He reached out to tuck a strand of her lovely red hair behind her ear. "Did you really hate it that much?"

She nodded. And he closed the distance between them, kissing her lips and nuzzling her nose with his. "I'm sorry...I was a prat when I was younger. If I had known-"

"It's the past, James. I've moved on, obviously. People grow up. And you've already apologized."

He kissed her again all the same. "I hate that you ever...disliked me so much."

"I don't dislike you now. I am marrying you, after all," she teased. "Now. James Potter. Tell me more of your secrets. Reveal your mysteries."

"This next one is not really mine to tell, but I got Remus' permission...to tell you and...you already know this one too, don't you?"

"What?!" She asked, obviously feigning surprise. "I never, why of course not…"

James tilted his head knowingly.

"Alright, alright. Yes. If it's that Remus is a werewolf...I've known it since first year."

"SINCE FIRST YEAR?" He sat straight up. "Sweet Merlin, Evans…you knew before I did!"

She shrugged. "People tend to underestimate me. It's one of my great strengths. How underestimate-able I am." She sat up beside him, wrapping her arms around her knees.

He shifted closer, leaning back on his hands in the grass. "Alright then. Why don't you...the all-knowing-Lily Evans, tell me what you already know...and I'll fill in the bits you don't?"

She laughed a little, scooting closer until she was flush against his side. "Alright then. I know that you, Peter and Sirius are unregistered Animagi, I know that Remus is a werewolf. I know that Sirius and Remus are hopelessly in love with one another...I know that-"

"Wait, wait, wait. Back up…" James interrupted.

"Back up to where?"

"To that bit about Remus and Sirius…" He turned to look into her eyes. "You're having me on."

She erupted in laughter. "No, I'm not!"

"Remus. And Sirius. In love. With one another?"

"Oh James! How could you not know?" You're having me on! You were so on board with me pairing them up tonight!"

"Yes! Because it meant I'd get to be alone with you!"

"And because they'd get to be alone without you and without Peter!" Lily said with an exasperated sigh. "Merlin's beard…" she muttered under her breath. "You really are dense, aren't you?"

James' mouth hung open. "You said we'd be out here hunting snipe, Lily Evans. And then we come to this clearing and there is no snipe being hunted, miss. No snipe being hunted at all ."

She laughed. She fell back on the grass and laughed. "James. If I can be perfectly candid with you...snipe aren't real...they're a joke muggles play on other unsuspecting muggles. Or wizards in this case. You tell someone you're going on a snipe hunt and then you trick them into staying alone in the woods. And then you leave them."

"Lily! You were going to leave me out here in the woods? You were going to abandon me! And after I proposed to you!"

She reached over for his hand, tugging him down beside her on the grass again. "I didn't know you were going to propose, you silly sod…"

He brightened immediately. "Oh you didn't? I thought you, the all-knowing-incredible-Lily Evans knew EVERYTHING?"

She pulled him closer, kissing him softly. "I certainly can't ever tell what you're going to do next."

"Obviously not. If you can't tell that I'm head over heels for you, you need to look again…"

He was about to kiss her again, his hand sliding down her side and over her hip, when there was a loud yelp from the woods around them. And the 'snipe call' Lily had taught all of them rang out through the trees.

"Quick question...do Sirius and Remus know that the snipe isn't real?"

"Remus does. Sirius doesn't."

"That is bloody brilliant , is what it is. I love you."

"I love you too, James."

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 **If you liked this, please consider leaving me some sugar in the comments! (Or just favorite *hearts*)**


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